Building covering



March'28, 1933. BLACK 1,903,023

BUILDING COVERING Filed Aug. 20, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l zidrdffilddf- Y w z m. ,7

March 28, 1933. R, BLACK 1,903,023

BU ILDI NG COVERI NG Filed Aug. 20, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gy zdezz 0.27 md/ffihaf Patented Mar. 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE) EDWARD ROSCOE BLACK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BLACK SYSTEMS, INC., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS BUILDING COVERING Application filed August 20, 1931. Serial No. 558,236.

My invention relates to building coverings.

More particularly it relates to a weatherproof covering unit, commonly termed a shingle, adapted to be arranged inivertical and Another object is to provide a covering unit whereby a wide variety of decorative effects may be produced by units of identical construction.

A further object is to cheapen the production, stocking and handling of building covering units by providing like units capable of a wide variety of different applications.

Another object is to provide a coveringunit Whose configuration supplies gage or relationship indicia which facilitate the proper gssffiambly of units to produce the desired ef- Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

An embodiment and several typical applicatlons of my improved covering unit are illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein: r

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a unit embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a partial assembly of units arranged to provide the conven tional hexagonal exposure;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a partial assembly of units arranged to provide anotherconventional type of exposure;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a partial assembly of units arranged to present the conventional square butt exposure; and

Fig. 5 illustrates the method of cutting or forming the units from sheets of ordinarily flexible prepared roofing material.

In general my improved building unit comprises a sheet of weather-proof material formed with one end of conventional rec.-

tangular configuration and with the opposite end of conventional hexagonal configuration, the enclosing angles or corners between the edges of the unit being substantially of either 90 degrees or 135 degrees and with the length and breadth of the unit being substantially equal. 1

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the covering unit 10 has six straight edges a-b, b0, c-d, d-e, e-f, and f-a,. and b are each of substantially90 degrees while the interior angles 0, d, e and f are each of substantially 135 degrees. The two edges a-b and cZe are parallel to each other and the edges af and b'0 are parallel to each other. The spacing or distance between the sides a-b and d@ is substantially equal to a the space or distance between the sides m-f and bo. Thus, in effect, the unit maybeconsidered as cut or formed from a square by the equal removal of two of the laterally related corners thereof, as clearly shown by the dotted lines of Fig. 1. Of course, instead of cutting oil and removing the corners they may be turned under the body to form a unit of the same configuration. The relative dimensions are such that the length of either edge af or b-c is equal to the length of the edge d-e, plus the vertical distance between the edge de and a line joining the corners c and 6-0 is equal to the side Ze, plus the distance between the points 00 and 3 In laying the units the apices of the angles between the edges of the shingles and the edges themselves form gaging points or lines which may be employed to' locate each unit in its proper relation to others so as to insure the production of the desired efiects. The methods of thus using these gaging marks will be understood from the following explanation of the typical layouts illustrated in Figs. 2 to 4.

In assembling the units to fabricate a covering having the conventional hexagonal butt exposure illustrated in Fig. 2, a starting strip 11, preferably formed of the samematerlal as the units, is secured in the usual manner along the lower edge of the roof or wall to be covered. Ordinary roofing nails may be used to anchor the starting strip in place. Assum- The interior angles a unit thus removed is illustrated in dotted lines at the left of Fig. 2.

The next unit 10 of the lower horizontal course is laid with its edge de in register with the lower edge of the starting strip and is horizontally spaced from the first unit 10 by separating its corner 0 from the corner 7 of the unit 10 by a distance equal to the length of the edge d- 6. This may be readilytaccomplished by temporarily laying the hexagonal end of an extra unit, as illustrated in dotted lines in the lower lefthand corner of Fig. 2, so that its corners f and 0 register with the lower edge of the starting strip and its edge ef lies against the edge e--f of the first laid unit 10. Then when the second unit 10 is laid with its edge de registering with the lower edge of the starting strip and,

its edge c-d registering with the edge 0d of the gaging unit, the second unit of thelfirst horizontal course is properly positioned. The .same procedure may be followed until all of the units of the first horizontal course are positioned. Each unit as it is laid should be anchored in place by suitable means, such as ordinary roofing nails, preferably applied in locations which will be covered by the succeeding course of units to prevent exposure of metal.

In positioning the units of the second horizontal course the corners d and e of the second course units 10 are registered with the corners f and 0 rrspectively of adjacent first course,

units. This positions the second course units in proper vertical and horizontal overlapping relation to the adjacent lower course units.

The third course units are laid with their corners d and e in registry with the corners f and 0 respectively of the second course units,

.the extreme left hand unit being cut to'lie along the left hand edge of the area to be covered as previously explained in conjunction with the left hand unit of the first course and as indicated by the dotted lines at the left hand edge of Fig. 2.

This procedure iscontinued until the entire area is covered, the units, of course, being anchored in proper position as previously explained in connection with the first course.

The arrangement illustrated in Fig. 3 is laid by first applying a starting strip 11 to the lower edge of the area to be covered. Then the first or lowermost course of units 10 is applied by registering the edge e--')" with the lower edge .of the sta'rtin strip. The extreme left hand unit 10 of t e first course is cut on a line from the corner 6 perpendicular to the side ef and the edge thus out is registered with the left'edge of the area to be covered. The portion thus removed is illustrated in dotted lines along the left hand edge of Fig. 3. The next unit of the first course is positioned to horizontally overlap the first unit by registering the corner 0 with the edge a-b of the first unit and by registering its corner (2 with the edge f-a of the first un1t. Subsequent units of the first horizontal row or course are similarly registered relative to the preceding unit of the same course. Each unit as it is thus located should be anchored in place by suitable means,such' as ordinary roofing nails driven therethrough in locations which will subsequently be covered by succeeding units. If desired,

the proper positioning of adjacent units in the first course may be facilitated by using one of the right angled corners of an extra unit as shown by the dotted lines at the lower edge of Fig. 3 to insure that the angle formed by the edge a; of one unit and the edge d e of the adjacent unit is a right angle.

The units of the second horizontal course are so positioned relative to the units of the first course that the corner 0 of each second course unit registers with the corner 6 of a first course unit and the corner a of the second course unit registers with the edge w-b of a first course unit. The proper relative posiderlying edge a-f of the preceding unit. Subsequent courses are vertically and horizontally positioned in a similar manner until the entire area is covered.

The conventional square-butt exposure ar. rangement illustrated in Fig.4 is' laid by first placing a starting strip Ila-long the loweredge of the area to be covered, in the usual way. The first horizontal course. of units 10 is then located by registering the edge ab of each unit with the lower edge of the starting strip, the'distance between ad- .jacent units being gaged by horizontally separating the adjacent edges until the space between equals the length of the side de. This spacing may be readily accomplished by using an extra unit as indicated by the dotted lines at the lower right hand edge .of Fig. 4.

The edge a f of the unit at the extreme left end of the first course is registered with the left hand vertical line of the area to be covered.

The second course units are laid with the rectangular end down and registered ,rela- 'tive to the first course and to each other by registering their .corners o 'f. respectively with the corners e-d of adjacent units of the lower course.

The units of subsequent courses are similarly positioned until the entire area is covered, each unit being anchored as previously described.

While ordinary roofing nails have been mentioned as the anchoring means for securing the units to the underlying building framework, it will be readily understood that other forms of'anchorage, such as that set forth in my Patent No. 1,748,327 granted February 25, 1930 may be employed.

Fi 5 illustrates how my improved units may e cut from a-sheet of ordinary roofing material, the sheet or strip being indicated as wide enough to permit four units to be taken on'the width thereof. The small triangular shaped shaded areas indicate the only waste when the units are thus produced.

Although I have illustrated and described but three typical decorative designs of roof covering which may be produced by identical units formed according to my invention, it is to be understood that a variety of other designs entailing one, two or three thicknesses of material may be produced by the same covering unit. The size of the units likewise may be varied as long as the angles and proportions heretofore described are substantially followed. Mathematical recision, however, is not required to pro uce practical and acceptable results but the dimensional proportions and angles prescribed should obtain within the manufacturing tolerances commonly allowed in this industry.

Applicant is aware of the fact'that units having the same arrangement of interior angles as the unit herein described have been known and used for years. He is also aware that square units, i. e., having'equal length and breadth, have been widely. known and used for years. But he does not believe that anyone before has proposed the combination of angles and proportions, and with no other combination is it possible to lay such a variety of covering designs as those herein illustrated or to use the corners of the units as gage marks for properly locating the positions of the units in the various designs.

In the claims appended to this description the word substantially employed in connection with the angles and dimensional portions contemplates only such variations as 7 are permitted by manufacturing tolerances commonly allowed in this industry.

Having thus illustrated and explained the nature and characteristics of my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is as follows:

1. A building covering unit comprising a substantially ninet degrees each and the remaining four ang es being of substantially one hundred thirty-five degrees each, and the of the unit being substan- In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe I my name this 10th day of Au st, 1931.

EDWARD ROSG E BLACK.

sheet of weather-proof material defined by six straight edges arranged to form six enclosing angles, two of said angles being of 

